J C Penny New Challenges in the Changing Workplace

J.C Penny New Challenges in the Changing Workplace J.C Penny New Challenges in the Changing Workplace The modern workplace is transforming at a very fast pace thus posing challenges for human resource management. Drunker (1999), argues that the 21st century managers have the responsibility and challenge driving productivity through improvement of the efficiency and productivity of knowledge workers, permanent workers, contingent and temporary workers. J.C. Penny currently experiences the challenge of managing knowledge workers within its workplace. According to Griffin (2012), knowledge workers are those categories of workers whose contribution to the organization depends entirely on their skills and what they know. J.C Penny experiences the challenge of attracting and retaining highly experienced knowledge workers, including, engineers, physical and computer scientists. Particularly, J.C Penny has had to struggle with increased labor turnover among the knowledge workers. Nevertheless, J.C. Penny has been aggressive in developing strategies for effective management of these knowledge workers. Firstly, J.C. Penny continues to provide effective reward systems that ensure that the knowledge workers are satisfied and motivated towards ensuring organization success. Secondly, J.C Penny provides intensive and specialized training for the knowledge workers with the aim of improving their effectiveness, productivity and ensuring that their skills do not become obsolete due to the highly dynamic technological environment. Another contemporary challenge that J.C Penny faces is the management of contingent and temporary employees within the workplace. Griffin (2012) defines contingent employees are those working for the organization in under different employment arrangements other than full-time or permanent basis. The biggest challenge for J.C. Penny is striking a balance between permanent and contingent workers, and designing differential reward and incentive strategy for these set of employees. J.C Penny has however implemented a number of strategies for effective management of contingent and temporary workers within the organization. Firstly, J.C Penny engages in careful planning before engaging and integrating these employees within the workforce. Secondly, J.C. Penny engages in continuous assessment and evaluation of the costs and benefits of engaging these employees before reaching major decisions on the composition of the human resources. ReferencesDrunker, P.F. (1999). Knowledge-worker productivity: the biggest challenge. California Management Review, 41(2): 79-94Griffin, W.R. (2012). Management.11th ed. London: Cengage Learning